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Old 11-18-2007, 11:18 PM
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fledermaus
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Default RE: Home Made CA Kicker

Commercial CA kickers contain one or more organic compounds known as amines because the CA curing reaction is catalyzed by basic reagents. They usually also are based on a mixture of various solvents.

These substances are not so easy for your average modeler to obtain, since commercial chemical suppliers won't sell to the public.

The best suggestion (apart from time, patience etc.) is very dilute household ammonia in a spray bottle. Organic amines are close relatives to ammonia - and the key here is not what particular base you use but just to make the environment basic.

I have found that in a pinch (i.e. when my bottle of kicker was across the shop and the thick CA I was trying to use to fillet something is starting to flow out of the joint that I am holding with both hands - don't ask[:-]) just spitting on the joint will work - your saliva has a pH on the alkaline side of neutral.